Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-03-25
Sheep Jnterest.
IMPROVEMENT IN MERlNOS.

The following, from advance sheets OF
the forthcoming third volume of the Yer
mont Merino Sheep-Breeders' associa-
tons Register, contains many interesting
facts
The period of four years that has
elapsed since the publication of the
second volume of the Register of this
association has been one of very severe
and discouraging depression for wool
growers and sheep-breeders in the
United States, and little calculated to
stimulate breeders to make improvements
in their flocks, or to give them that care,
feed and attention that is necessary to
properly develop and exhibit the improve
ments that have been made.
Notwithstanding these discouragements
that have deferred a large proportion OF
breeders from making improvements, or
keeping their sheep so that they fully
show the improvements made, 1t is en-
couraging to know that substantial inl-
provements have been going on in many
of the leading tlocks, and considering the
may be considered very satisfactory.
An examination of these tables will
show that remarkable number of breed
ers have been able to produce rams or
ewes shearing flceces of standard weight,
although some breeders led in producing
number of sheep that are entitled to
such record under the rules.
a careful comparison of the sheep here
recorded with their pedigrees will also
reveal the fact that these weights have
been reached in all the leading families,
which is gratifying as showing that the
breeders of all the different lines of blood
are striving to improve their sheep and
succeeding to a reasonable extent in so
doing.
These Improvements reflect great deal
of ere dit on those breeders who have had
the courage and steadiness of purpose to
presevere in the work of developing the
highest possible excellence in the breed,
under very discouraging circumstances,
and we believe and hope the time is not
far in the future when they will receive
ample compensation for their worthy
efforts to make the improvements, and
encouragement to 90 on in the same good
work until still higher achievements in
the same direction have been attained.
We would briefly call attention to
few facts to show something of the
progress made. In the tables published
in our second volume, will be found a
list of thirty-siX rams, three years old or
over, that sheared an aggregate of 1120
pounds, averaging thirtv-one pounds and
one ounce each. Thirty-five of these
rams were bred in Vermont. Our present
tables contain nineteen of these rams,
with thirty-three more, bred in Vermont.
We also add six bred in New York, one
in Massachusetts, six in Michigan, one in
Wisconsin, five in Missouri, making the
number seventy-one averaging thirty
three pounds and three ounces; all these
seventy-one averaging two pounds and
two ounces more than the thirty-six pub
lished in our second volume. We also
find that the limit reached in weight of
single fleece among the thirty-siX has
been exceeded by number of pounds in
the table now published. From the table
of rams two years old, published in
second volume, averaging twenty-eight
pounds and fourteen ounces, we take
sixteen, and add thirty-four bred in Ver-
mont, two bred in New York, two in
Massachusetts, six in Michigan, one in
Wisconsin and five in Missouri, making
sixty-six in all, averaging thirty pounds
each. The table of heavy shearng ewes
now published contains 1856, or l42 more
than that published in the second volume.
Here we find the average on this number
(Which is nearly four times as large as
that first published) only three ounces
less. Perhaps it will make the improve
ment more plain to contrast the rams and
ewes of the different classes published in
the second volume, that were bred in
Vermont, with like number of the best
from the tables now published bred
within the same State. Here we find
that thirty-tive bred in Vermont. from
the tables in the second volume, sheared
in the aggregate 10SS pounds, averaging
thirty-one pounds and one ounce. A like
number taken from the tables now pub
lished, bred in the same State, sheared in
the aggregate 1921 pounds and thirteen
ounces, averaging thirty-four pounds and
fourteen ounces, or three pounds and
thirteen ounces more each, on the aver
age, than the first thrty-five.
In the class of rams two years old,
the tables in second volume have twenty
nine bred in Vermont, shearing s37
pounds and twelve ounces, averaging
twenty-eight pounds and ten ounces
taking twenty-nine best from the tables
NOW nuhIiShad bred in Nnrmnnt we find